Picker stick for looms



June 15, 1954 A. 1.. scoTT 2,681,081

PICKER STICK FOR LOOMS I Filed Jan. 18, 1952 IN VE R.

QRTHUF? L. S TT WWW Hi8 QTT'ORNEYS Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE PICKER STICK FOR LOOMS Application January 18, 1952,Serial No. 267,149

6 Claims.

This invention relates to picker sticks for looms.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a picker stick whichis as satisfactory in operation as the widely used picker stick which ismade of hickory and which has the necessary resilience for proper actionon the loom, but which will not break or split which is a common faultwith the hickory picker stick which has end grain coming to the surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a picker stick whichwill be long-lasting, will not split and which will outlast present-daypicker sticks by many times, thus making it unnecessary to shut down theloom for a change in picker sticks with the attendant loss of loom timeand further necessity for adjustment with each re placement.

Another object of the invention is to provide picker sticks in whichsynthetic fibers are employed as tension and compression membersextending lengthwise of the picker stick to provide suitable resiliencywith high resistance to shock and substantial absence of breakage due tofatigue.

Another object is to provide such a picker stick in which glass fibersare employed as the tension and compression members to provide thedesired resiliency and resistance while giving suitable stifinesscontrol and eliminating splitting due to end grain surface conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from aconsideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings,in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a picker stick embodying one formof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view corresponding to Fig. 2 showing adifferent form of the invention;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail sectional views corresponding to Fig. 2showing further alternate forms of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a further form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a still further form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line ill-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a further form of the invention, and

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view taken on the line I2--l2 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred form. of the invention, glass fiber filaments areemployed as tension members and also as compression members extending1ongitudinally of the picker stick. These fibers are very fine and mayhave diameters of approximately two micro inches. Such fibers have atensile strength of approximately 3,000 pounds per square inch.

The fibers are held in position to serve as tension or compressionmembers by a suitable flexible plastic resin. A resin of the polyestertype which may be cured by heating at approximately 190 F. forapproximately four hours is satisfactory. It is applied by coating theglass filaments or fibers and it is preferred to use about 30 parts byweight of resin to parts by weight of the fibers, although thisproportion may be varied.

The coated fibers are assembled into slivers which are applied to thedesired picker stick form. They are then formed to the desired shape andcured.

Although glass fibers are the preferred form because they present aperfectly elastic material with dimensional stability and absence offatigue, other fibers such as rayon may be employed.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. l, a central core I which is ofhickory wood with the grain extending longitudinally is employed. Theslivers of fiber are wound at 2 completely around the periphery of thiscentral core I forming a continuous strip. The fibers are then conformedto the desired outline with a suitable form and are heated as indicatedabove to cure the I resin. The finished picker stick thus consists of acentral core and an outer wrapping of the glass fibers which are boundin place and to one another by the cured resin. The fibers which extendlongitudinally of the picker stick serve both as tension and compressionmembers. When the picker stick receives the shuttle, it provides therequired elasticity and strength. Vibrations are absorbed although thestick has adequate resiliency to receive and throw the shuttle withoutundue lag. The glass fibers are particularly desirable because, althoughresilient, they have remarkable powers of recovery and eliminateexcessive vibration because of this property.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 3, the core 3i which correspondsto the core I is grooved longitudinally and irregularly to receive thefibers 32 as indicated at 33. In this form of invention, the fibers areanchored firmly against lateral slippage from the core 3|.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 4, the core 41 which correspondsto the core I is grooved to receive the fibers 42 as indicated at 43,thus anchoring them against slipping laterally as in the case of thepicker stick shown in Fig. 3.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 5, two core members 5| areemployed. These core members are spaced apart to receive the fibers 52which also extend over the edges and centrally as shown at 53 to anchoragainst lateral slippage and to provide central strength as well asperipheral strength.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 6, there are two core members 6|comparable to the core member 5! in the form of invention shown in Fig.5. These members are curved inwardly and hold the fibers 62 both at theperiphery of the stick and centrally as shown at 63.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 7, the glass fibers ?2 are formedabout a removable core. They are then cured and the core is removed,leaving a hollow picker stick made up of peripherally extending glassfibers which are anchored to one another by the cured resin. This formof stick is particularly desirable where extreme resiliency is desired.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 9, a core 9| consisting of ahollow paper tube is provided. The fibers 92 are applied at the outerperiphery of the core. Substantially all of them extend longitudinallyof the core and they are anchored to the core and to one another by thecured plastic.

In assembling the invention in this form, the fibers are laid on thecore extending longitudinally having previously been coated with theresin. They are then wrapped with a circumferential cellophane wrapwhich holds them in place during the heating and curing operation.Thereafter, the cellophane is removed.

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 11, the fibers H2 are formed intoa single stick substantially all of them extending longitudinally andthey are bound to one another by the plastic material. They are formedinto the stick and a wrapping of cellophane is placed around them. Theyare then heated to cure the resin which has been previously applied. Thecellophane is i then removed.

All of the picker sticks shown are furnished with suitable holes orother means for securing the necessary operating portions of the loom.

These have not been shown since they may vary with the diiferent forms.Likewise, the form of the stick may vary to fit various looms.

Picker sticks formed in accordance with this invention. can have thenecessary resiliency to absorb shock. They also have rigidity to throwthe shuttle and do not fatigue or break. They also have dimensionalstability. When they are employed on a loom they run many times as longas the hickory picker sticks and thus eliminate loom shutdown andadjustment time which is most undesirable in loom operation.

Iclaim:

1. A picker stick for looms comprising a wooden core and a plurality ofglass fibres extending continuously and longitudinally of said pickerstick and along and in contact with opposed sides of and around the endsof said core to form structural members to take tensional andcompressive bending stresses of said picker stick when said stick isbent along its longitudinal axis in operation, and a flexible bondingagent, said fibres being bound to one another and to said core by saidflexible bonding agent.

2. A picker stick for looms comprising a core and a plurality of glassfibres extending continuously and longitudinally of said picker stickand along and in contact with opposed sides of and around the ends ofsaid core to form structural members to take tensional and compressivebending stresses of said picker stick when said stick is bent along itslongitudinal axis in operation, and a flexible bonding agent, saidfibres being bound to one another and to said core by said flexiblebonding agent.

3. A picker stick for looms comprising a core and a plurality of fibresextending continuously and longitudinally of said picker stick and alongand in contact with opposed sides of and around the ends of said core toform structural mem bers to take tensional and compressive bendingstresses of said picker stick when said stick is bent along itslongitudinal axis in operation, and a flexible bonding agent, saidfibres being bound to one another and to said core by said flexiblebonding agent.

4. A picker stick for looms comprising a core having a lateral grooveand a plurality of glass fibres extending continuously andlongitudinally of said picker stick and in said groove along and incontact with opposed sides of and around the ends of said core to formstructural members to take tensional and compressive bending stresses ofsaid picker stick when said stick is bent along its longitudinal axis inoperation, and a flexible bonding agent, said fibres being bondedtogether and to said core by said flexible bonding agent.

5. A picker stick for looms comprising a core having a lateral grooveand a plurality of fibres extending continuously and longitudinally ofsaid picker stick and in said groove along and in contact with opposedsides of said core to form structural members to take tensional andcompressive bending stresses of said picker stick when said stick isbent along its longitudinal axis in operation, and a flexible bondingagent, said fibres being bonded together and to said core by saidflexible bonding agent.

6. A picker stick for looms comprising a core having a lateral grooveand a plurality of glass fibres extending continuously andlongitudinally of said picker stick and in said groove along and incontact with opposed sides of said core to form structural members totake tensional and compressive bending stresses of said picker stickwhen said stick is bent along its longitudinal axis in operation, and aflexible bondingagent, said fibres being bonded together and to saidcore by said flexible bonding agent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

